


Drive Away The Thunder

by Savorysavery



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Coming of Age, Family, Gen, Kuvira Week 2015, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-05 12:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4180149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savorysavery/pseuds/Savorysavery





	Drive Away The Thunder

**Summary:** Suyin comforts Kuvira during a thunderstorm.

 **Genre:** Family, Coming of Age

 **Rated:** K

 

 **Prompt:** Childhood

 **Author’s Note:** This is written from the perspective of an eight year old Kuvira, a a year and a half after Suyin and Bataar Sr. take her in as their adoptive daughter.

* * *

 

 

The thunderstorm rattled Kuvira’s entire bedroom, shaking her awake from uneasy dreams.

 

In a way, she was thankful: her dreams had been filled with shadows, creatures and beasties chasing her around a wet expanse of mud and mire. It had her tossing and turning, so much so her braid had come loose in the night, and was now matted with sweat.

 

A crack of lightening lit up her room suddenly, followed by a mighty boom of thunder, and Kuvira squeaked, diving beneath her blankets. She felt a wetness pool underneath her and began to cry, sniffling loudly in the darkness of her bedroom.  “Suyin!” Kuvira sobbed loudly, little girl voice carrying down the hall.

 

Suyin came running in a minute later, followed by Baatar Sr. They saw the Kuvira shaped lump beneath the blankets, shuddering and shaking, and Suyin waved for him to go. He obliged her, leaving to check on his son, whose cries were now filling the opposite end of the house.

 

Suyin sat down on the bed and shifted her hand, pressing down gently when she felt the top of Kuvira’s head. “Sweetheart?” she asked softly, pistachio green eyes gentle. “Would you like to come out?”

 

Kuvira shook her head viciously. “No!” she replied. “I can’t.”

 

“Do you mind telling me why?” Suyin asked patiently. Kuvira peeked from beneath the thick comforter she’d piled on top of her and when she saw Suyin’s understanding smile, nodded and shifted the blankets.

 

Suyin saw the wet spot before Kuvira could say anything: it was just dark enough that she could see the wetness on the sheet. Kuvira caught her glance and shifted, cheeks and neck blotchy with a shameful blush. “I’m so sorry, Suyin,” she whispered, shaking. When Suyin lifted a hand towards her, meaning to embrace her, Kuvira lunged away, eyes wide with fear. Suyin waited then for her to come back, and after two minutes of silence, Kuvira did, looking up at Suyin with anticipation.

 

“Let’s go get you a bath and some new clothes, okay? Does that sound good?” Suyin asked. She moved her hand a bit more slow now, and Kuvira took the embrace with shaking shoulders, relaxing after a minute.

 

“Yes please,” Kuvira replied, voice soft.

 

Suyin ran the water hot, let steam and frothing bubbles fill the tub. “Go on and get in. I’ll take care of your bed.” Kuvira nodded and slipped out of her bedclothes, climbing into the warm water and sweet smelling bubbles.

 

Back in her bedroom, Suyin changed Kuvira’s bedspread, putting on her favorite sheets and a fresh comforter: soft pink sheets that one of the elders had made for Kuvira, with lotus blooms stitched into it, and a thick, dark green comforter that smelled like soap and sunshine.

 

When Suyin returned, Kuvira was sitting in the bathtub still, quiet as could be. “Hey there,” Suyin said, pushing up the door. “How are you doing?”

 

Kuvira didn’t immediately answer, but instead, bit her lower lip and looked down at the bubbles“…Are you mad?” Kuvira asked in a soft voice, just loud enough that Suyin could hear. Suyin kneeled next to her, crossing her arms on the rim.

 

“Of course not, Kuvira,” she said. “Why would I be?”

 

“Well… I had an accident and…” Kuvira’s voice trailed off and she began to cry again. Suyin let her cry, gently stroking her hair as the tears rolled down her chubby cheeks. After a while, her sniffles subsided and she lifted her soapy hands from the water. “I look like a sea prune,” she giggled, looking at her water swollen fingers. She pressed them against Suyin’s arm and giggled again.

 

“Come one, kid, let’s get you back to bed,” Suyin said, grinning. Kuvira nodded and finished washing, pulling out the plug minutes later with a loud pop.

 

Suyin helped her into a new set of pajamas in her bedroom: just a large shirt of Bataar Sr.’s and a pair of shorts, and she braided her hair into a fresh braid, anointing it with a sharp smelling oil that smelled of clove. Kuvira wrinkled her nose up at it, inhaling it deeply, sighing at the spiced warmth it filled her with.

 

“Want me to stay the night?” Suyin asked, sitting back on Kuvira’s bed. Kuvira had already settled in, tucked beneath the comforter.

 

“…Yes,” Kuvira said, nodding more to herself. She patted the area next to the wall with both hands, and Suyin chuckled, climbing in against the wall, a shield between Kuvira and the storms outside.

 

Once Kuvira settled, Suyin sang, soft, sweet, lulling songs about the Earth Kingdom and the past, about giant lion turtles and turtleducks: songs that she’d sang Kuvira back when she first came and nightmares had been regular occurrences. Now, the songs were comfort, Suyin’s voice warmly embracing Kuvira.

 

“Thank you momma,” Kuvira whispered, letting Suyin’s sweet, throaty voice lull her back into a peaceful slumber as she lay her head against Suyin’s chest, listening to the thunder of her heart.


End file.
